Elevate Your Junk Food Binge

Today happens to be National Junk Food Day. Just what the heck is Junk Food? The long and the short answer is high in calories, low in nutrition. Must be why when Hubby and I are craving Junk Food we eat a Big Mac.

One of our favorites appetizers when dining at a Pub-style eatery is to order Potato Skins. That or an Onion Ring Tower or Blooming Onion Rings. You get the idea. These are are a lot of work to create at home just for appetizers, so why not let someone else do the cooking?

Unless of course you make a meal out of – say – potatoes. Be it Twice Baked Potatoes or Potato skins these require work. There’s the baking, then the hollowing, then the cooking yet again, be it baked or fried. Either way you’re talking appetizer or side dish at best. However; if the potatoes are stuffed with things like meats or cheeses or enough of both to really satisfy your hunger, and you work in a little pulp just to bind things together in a most delicious way you’ve got one amazing supper don’t you think? That really got me to thinking. We love having Nachos for Supper.

So why not Twice Baked Nacho Potatoes as a meal? In honor of Junk Food Day I give you these amazingly delicious but not necessarily healthy Nacho Potatoes. Enjoy – and remember to give thanks to the Lord above for taking the time to wake you yet again on this picture perfect day.

Twice Baked Nacho Potatoes
4 large Baking Potatoes
4 tablespoons Spicy Olive Oil

Gently scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut the top of the potato lengthwise to create a flat top, repeat the same on the bottom. Rub potatoes with spicy oil. Wrap in foil.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place wrapped potatoes directly on the oven rack; bake undisturbed 1 hour or until potatoes are soft. Remove from oven, let cool for about 20 minutes.

Decide which is truly the top and which is the underside of the potato. With a spoon carefully hollow out the potato, leaving a thin edge around the sides and bottom to hold in the filling. Reserve pulp.

Note: Potatoes can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before finishing. An hour before continuing allow potatoes to come to room temperature.

Nacho Filling
1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Chorizo
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
Reserved Pulp as needed
2 cups Mexican Cheese Blend
2 cups Mexican Melting Cheese
2 Green Onions
3 small Serrano Peppers
1/4 cup Nacho Jalapeño Peppers
1/2 cup Sour Cream or as desired

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish.

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, brown meats together. Add taco seasoning. Add potato pulp a little at a time to act as a binding agent for the meat filling. Once mixed, smash any large lumps of potato into the meat.

Divide the filling between the potatoes, gently but firmly fill the potatoes. Arrange in the prepared baking dish, cover tightly with foil and bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

While the potatoes bake a second time, snip green onions. Stem and dice Serrano Peppers. Dice pickled Jalapeños.

Remove Nacho Potatoes from the oven, uncover, and pile on the cheeses. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheeses have fully melted. Transfer potatoes to individual plate. Top with sour cream, green onions and diced peppers as desired and enjoy.

---

Show us, Lord, Your faithful love,
Grant us Your saving help